Single-digit scores in 3 games in 4 games! Demystifying the Rockets' Green Slump: The Warriors' wheel battle targets the soft underbelly

On April 30, Beijing time, the Rockets have fallen behind the Warriors 1-3, and one more loss will end the 2024-25 season. Rockets reporter Kelly Iko wrote an article revealing Jalen Green's slump as the Rockets' key scorer, scoring in single digits in three of the four games of the Warriors series.

About 30 minutes after the G4 game, a frustrated Jalen Green sat in front of his locker, trying to calm his emotions. By this time, most of his teammates had made their way to the team bus, leaving an empty, frustrating locker room. Green, fully dressed, stared blankly at the locker room entrance, as if searching for an answer that would never appear.

In that moment, Green wasn't just a Rockets player on the brink of elimination — he was another defeat at the hands of those tough, tenacious and experienced Warriors. He's not just a player who's struggled to figure out how defenses can completely suppress offensive firepower in the playoffs. At that moment, he was just an ordinary person with bad luck.

An hour before the game, Green and assistant coach Ivey were studying the game footage on the sidelines of the court when a young boy in a Warriors jersey interrupted them in a row of seats behind them. Green stopped what he was doing to sign for him, and Ivy smiled and shook her head. A few minutes later, Warriors forward Kuminga came to "make trouble" again, he dragged Ivey on the way to the locker room, and did not forget to tease Green. Not far away, the staff of the two teams were chatting in a friendly manner, and this atmosphere of mutual respect and rapprochement, which is not often seen in the playoffs, is vividly displayed at this moment.

Now in Game 4, the series has long gone beyond simple tactical games. It's about the spirit of competition, as evidenced by the conflicts, frictions and feuds that occur on the field. At times, Game 4 felt like a fierce cushion game, with more games interrupted by referee replay review than even shots. As a low-seeded team, the Warriors showed the experience that the Rockets lacked by winning games in a variety of ways with the excellent play of Curry and Butler, the three-point shooting of role players, and Draymond Green's extremely pressing defense.

But for Green and the Rockets, frustration and confusion have been lingering throughout the three losses. Green's inability to crack the aggressive defensive strategy the Warriors have put the Rockets in a dangerous position of falling behind 3-1 in the playoffs — a situation that the history of the playoffs has long warned.

In Game 4, Green scored just eight points on 8 shots, played 25 minutes and had five turnovers. In the three games the Rockets lost, Green scored just 24 points combined. In six of his last seven games, including the final three of the regular season, he has failed to score in double figures. Whether it's a lack of rhythm, defensive pressing, or both, the whole team struggles when Green, the Rockets' most dynamic perimeter player, is restrained.

'Obviously, it's not his best performance in the attacking end,' said coach Udoka, "but you can't let that affect your overall performance. It's still about making the right decisions, judging the situation and creating chances for your team-mates, while also maintaining a high level of defence and not being discouraged by offensive aberrations. ”

The Warriors quickly found a way to limit Green. In G4, Hield took the lead and pressed Green all over the court, pressuring him from the start, forcing him to either pass the ball or get into a worse situation - force a breakthrough. After Hield went off the court, Payton Jr. took over the defense. Even though Green is in his fourth season in the NBA, he's not the kind of ball-handler who can withstand high-intensity physical confrontations.

The Warriors also managed to compress an already space-barred court. Every time Green turns, he always has Warriors players by his side. After the series, Green will review these defensive strategies against him and figure out how to deal with them. For a 23-year-old player who is making the playoffs for the first time, behind this defensive pressure is actually the importance of opponents. The Warriors know what a dangerous ripple effect Green will have on the Rockets once he finds his form.

"A lot of players need to find their rhythm when they play," Warriors player Moody said, "so the more you press him and disrupt his rhythm, the more you can control the ball." He's a good player and a great scorer for the Rockets. As a defender, you have to limit the scoring points they rely on. ”

In the second half, Green was almost non-existent in the Rockets' positional offense. The more the Warriors put pressure on Green with the ball, the less support his teammates can give without the ball. Udoka replaced Green with 8:51 left in the third quarter. At the start of the fourth quarter, Green re-entered the game, but was substituted with 4:51 left in the game.

"We've got to cover for him better," Van Vleet said, "to open up space for him and give him a chance to break through." He's definitely going to bounce back, though, and I'm sure there's no doubt about that. We need him to be confident, tough and positive, and he's going to have a blast in the fifth game. ”

"It's his first playoff game and the opponent will use a variety of different defensive strategies. There are ups and downs and there are so many things to deal with. I've been proud to see the progress he's made since I've come to this team. But we need him to play at his best, and he can take the team to another level. So we'll look at the game footage to see how we can help him play more efficiently. ”

It's just that the unfavorable situation of falling behind 1-3 is in front of us, and there is really not much time left for the Rockets and Green.